Tokyo – Dezeenhttps://www.dezeen.com
architecture and design magazineFri, 09 Dec 2016 14:43:53 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.6.1Sharply pitched roofs break up the scale of Kengo Kuma's kindergarten in Saitamahttps://www.dezeen.com/2016/12/06/sharply-pitched-roofs-architecture-kengo-kuma-kindergarten-saitama-japan/
https://www.dezeen.com/2016/12/06/sharply-pitched-roofs-architecture-kengo-kuma-kindergarten-saitama-japan/#respondTue, 06 Dec 2016 12:21:29 +0000https://admin.dezeen.com/?p=1016830Kengo Kuma & Associates has designed a kindergarten in the Japanese city Saitama with a series of roofs that pitch steeply in opposing directions. The kindergarten, named Aitoku Hoikuen, is located in a residential district of Saitama, around 25 kilometres north of Tokyo, and contains facilities for 150 children. To help visually fragment the scale of

The kindergarten, named Aitoku Hoikuen, is located in a residential district of Saitama, around 25 kilometres north of Tokyo, and contains facilities for 150 children.

To help visually fragment the scale of the two-storey building, the Japanese studio led by Kengo Kuma topped the building with a series of angled roof plains that break it up into smaller chunks.

Striped facades, made up of alternating lengths of pale wood and grey cladding with glazed inserts, further reduce the impact.

"In formulating the design, we assembled small houses to make a big two-storey house closer to a human townscape," explained the studio.

"Each roof is pitched differently in order to express natural sequence from the landscape of the town."

Inside, dark wood panelling lines the walls, seating alcoves and floors. Huge white fabric lampshades are suspended from the ceiling of both classrooms and hallways, where they hang among exposed pipework and beams.

"The interior is made with wood and fabric, which can help to create a gentle and varied space," said the architects.

The exposed pipework and the metalwork of the roofs lend the building a semi-industrial aesthetic.

]]>https://www.dezeen.com/2016/12/06/sharply-pitched-roofs-architecture-kengo-kuma-kindergarten-saitama-japan/feed/0Archi-Depot Museum director picks his five favourite architectural modelshttps://www.dezeen.com/2016/12/02/five-best-archi-depot-museum-architectural-models-director-yuta-tokunaga-tokyo-japan/
https://www.dezeen.com/2016/12/02/five-best-archi-depot-museum-architectural-models-director-yuta-tokunaga-tokyo-japan/#respondFri, 02 Dec 2016 16:16:28 +0000https://admin.dezeen.com/?p=1015897Yuta Tokunaga, director of a museum dedicated to architectural models, has selected his five favourite exhibits from a collection that includes works by Kengo Kuma and Shigeru Ban. Billed as Japan's only architectural model museum, the Archi-Depot Museum is a warehouse-cum-gallery that opened in Tokyo earlier this year, showcasing both study maquettes and final design models by famous

Billed as Japan's only architectural model museum, the Archi-Depot Museum is a warehouse-cum-gallery that opened in Tokyo earlier this year, showcasing both study maquettes and final design models by famous Japanese architects.

These architects pay to rent the shelves, allowing them to free up space in their often-cramped offices. In exchange, the museum offers to keep the models in carefully maintained temperature and humidity conditions.

Architects are encouraged to rotate their models every few months, ensuring that the exhibition is always changing.

Museum director Yuta Tokunaga has picked five of the best models that have been shown so far. Here, he explains what makes them so special.

The monumental shape created by piling up so-called traditional Japanese roofs has changed the landscape of Asakusa, one of the most famous tourist places in Tokyo. The roofs made of wooden louvres are characteristic of Kengo Kuma's work, but also express the lightness of Japanese architecture.

The model, which was made faithfully true, is enough to tell us the transparency and the lightness of the actual building, and a Japanese atmosphere.

This model is a housing proposal that has attracted worldwide attention for young Japanese studio o+h. As the model shows, the tower is airy and has many openings that make it possible to go outside from anywhere. In addition, there are various ways to go to the same place by using different stairs.

The model is made of thin paper boards, giving the impression of small handmade hut. In spite of a small space, this housing offers various scenes by taking the scenery outside as borrowed landscape, which is the traditional way in Japanese garden design. It would be a wonderful solution for a rich life in Tokyo, where buildings are so crowded.

Various study models by Jun Aoki

Japanese architects create many architectural models during their thinking processes, but Jun Aoki is famous for the number of models and his distinctive way. He creates a variety of models at the same scale, which are usually palm-sized, and considers the best approach by arranging them. In the same way, he considers different models at various phases – to work out the volume of the building, the design of the facade and the details.

Archi-Depot Museum has displayed dozens of his study models in the same way. They have the beauty of modern art sculptures.

This elementary school by C+A, which has been leading school building in Japan, was completed in 2015, and this is the latest model of the building. The huge model includes the whole site, showing the arrangement of the building in response to the surrounding environment, including the wind and light from a beautiful forest nearby.

Due to the transparent roofs, we can see the interior spaces, which include classrooms divided by L-shaped walls. The model makes us imagine the scenery that children learn in.

Shigeru Ban has energetically engaged in reconstruction projects for disaster areas all over the world. This model, which stacks shipping containers up to three storeys, was newly built as temporary housing in Onagawa, which was badly affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake.

There was no precedent for using containers as housing, so the project involved solving a variety of difficult problems relating to architectural laws in Japan. But since containers are low-cost and ready-made items, they are very appropriate for temporary housing. This model offered a beginning for the possibility of using containers as architecture.

]]>https://www.dezeen.com/2016/12/02/five-best-archi-depot-museum-architectural-models-director-yuta-tokunaga-tokyo-japan/feed/0Incandescent bulb likely cause of Tokyo Design Week firehttps://www.dezeen.com/2016/11/07/incandescent-light-bulb-likely-cause-tokyo-design-week-fire/
https://www.dezeen.com/2016/11/07/incandescent-light-bulb-likely-cause-tokyo-design-week-fire/#respondMon, 07 Nov 2016 19:00:13 +0000http://admin.dezeen.com/?p=1003873The fire that killed one young boy and injured two adults at Tokyo Design Week on Sunday was likely started by an incandescent bulb. The Japan Times reports that the light bulb was placed inside the installation that caught alight at an exhibition of student work. Officials from the Nippon Institute of Technology, whose students made

The Japan Times reports that the light bulb was placed inside the installation that caught alight at an exhibition of student work.

Officials from the Nippon Institute of Technology, whose students made the installation, admitted that the light had been placed on the ground inside the structure among woodchips.

The university had initially claimed that only safer LEDs were used at that site, but it has since revised that statement. Officials now believe that a student left on an incandescent bulb that had been intended for use during construction only and not during public exhibition.

Nippon Institute of Technology president Kenichi Narita told a news conference on Monday that "there was a gap in recognition among students regarding the risk" of using the lamp.

"The responsibility for the accident solely lies with the university and its president," said the university, which is awaiting the results of an investigation by the police and fire department before it confirms a link between the light and the fire.

Police are reportedly investigating the accident on suspicion of professional negligence resulting in death and injury.

The installation – a jungle-gym-like climbing tower – was made of timber and paper.

Five-year-old Kento Saeki had been playing on the structure and died when he was trapped inside by the fire. The other injured parties were his 44-year-old father and another man in his 40s, who both suffered burns trying to save the boy.

Tokyo Design Week events were cancelled on Monday, which was due to be the last day. The trade show is held each year at the Meiji Jingu Gaien gardens in the Japanese capital.

In a statement released on Monday, Tokyo Design Week representatives expressed their apologies and intention to co-operate with police and fire department investigations.

"We deeply apologise to those who passed away and to all the bereaved families from the bottom of our hearts," they said.

]]>https://www.dezeen.com/2016/11/07/incandescent-light-bulb-likely-cause-tokyo-design-week-fire/feed/0Child dies after exhibit catches fire at Tokyo Design Weekhttps://www.dezeen.com/2016/11/06/child-dies-exhibit-catches-fire-tokyo-design-week/
https://www.dezeen.com/2016/11/06/child-dies-exhibit-catches-fire-tokyo-design-week/#respondSun, 06 Nov 2016 19:28:00 +0000http://admin.dezeen.com/?p=1003532A five-year-old boy died and two men were injured when an installation caught fire at Tokyo Design Week on Sunday. Update: an incandescent bulb has been identified as the likely cause of the fire. More › The exhibit, consisting of a timber frame covered in paper, was part of an open-air student show at the event,

]]>A five-year-old boy died and two men were injured when an installation caught fire at Tokyo Design Week on Sunday.Update: an incandescent bulb has been identified as the likely cause of the fire. More ›

The exhibit, consisting of a timber frame covered in paper, was part of an open-air student show at the event, held each year at the Meiji Jingu Gaien gardens in the Japanese capital.

Japanese TV news channels carried footage of the structure engulfed in flames. Dezeen understands that children had been playing in and around the exhibit, which was designed and built by students at the engineering department at Nippon Institute of Technology.

Japanese TV news channels carried footage of the exhibit engulfed in flames

A boy died in the fire and two men in their forties were also injured. One was the father of the boy and was hurt while trying to rescue him, according to reports.

Tokyo Design Week representatives released a statement about the incident on Monday, expressing their apologies and intention to co-operate with police and fire department investigations.

"We deeply apologise to those who passed away and to all the bereaved families from the bottom of our hearts," said the statement, the full text of which is below.

The Japan Times reported that the blaze was quickly extinguished but that the young boy was inside the structure when it caught fire and could not be saved.

The incident happened on Sunday evening. Organisers have said they will not open the fair on Monday, which was due to be the last day of the event.

The Japan Times reported that the blaze was quickly extinguished but that the young boy was inside the structure when it caught fire

UK design journalist Max Fraser, who is in Tokyo this week, told Dezeen he cycled past the show just before the fire.

"I happened to cycle past the venue on Sunday afternoon through the park," he said. "There were lots of people around, enjoying the sunny afternoon. I could hear loud music coming from the venue. Then a friend here sent me the news."

One report suggested that the fire started when sawdust surrounding the installation was ignited by lights, but there has been no confirmation of this.

Update 7 November 2016

Tokyo Design Week has released a statement about the incident. Translated from Japanese, it reads:

"As you already know from newspaper, television and other media reports, a five-year-old child died after an accidental fire broke out at a student show that was part of Tokyo Design Week 2016.

We deeply apologise to those who passed away and to all the bereaved families from the bottom of our hearts. We sincerely apologise to you and to everyone involved who was injured due to the fire.

It is extremely painful that this accident happened. We will cooperate fully with the police and fire department surveys and await the results of the investigation into the cause of the accident. We will report again as soon as new information is known.

We would like to apologise again to the bereaved families and all concerned parties."

]]>https://www.dezeen.com/2016/11/06/child-dies-exhibit-catches-fire-tokyo-design-week/feed/0Graphic designer's home and studio in Tokyo includes cat walkwayhttps://www.dezeen.com/2016/11/06/graphic-designer-house-studio-tokyo-japan-cat-walkway-do-do/
https://www.dezeen.com/2016/11/06/graphic-designer-house-studio-tokyo-japan-cat-walkway-do-do/#respondSun, 06 Nov 2016 12:00:48 +0000http://admin.dezeen.com/?p=999114Tokyo-based studio Do Do has designed this house and studio for a graphic designer and his wife, and created a special elevated pathway for their pet cat. The two-storey residence named House-Is is clad in black corrugated metal and occupies a small plot of land in Tokyo's Koto-ku district. Do Do was asked to include a studio space, as well as playful

]]>Tokyo-based studio Do Do has designed this house and studio for a graphic designer and his wife, and created a special elevated pathway for their pet cat.

The two-storey residence named House-Is is clad in black corrugated metal and occupies a small plot of land in Tokyo's Koto-ku district.

Do Do was asked to include a studio space, as well as playful additions for the cat, in the couple's home.

A workspace for the graphic-designer client is set on the ground floor, where a white shelf at the top of the room leads to a square opening in the staircase banister – allowing the cat to pop in and out.

"The husband, who is a cat-owner, hoped his house to be creative both for his work and cat, and my aim was to create a comfortable living space in this busy district of Tokyo," explained the architect.

The studio has wooden floors and a small alcove for printing. A sliding white partition separates the space from a meeting room, which features a wooden table and bench seats.

The space has concrete floors and white walls intended as a blank backdrop for hanging artwork.

A folding door provides the main entrance to the minimal house, which features bright white walls and accents of light-coloured wood.

A tall staircase balustrade with integrated cabinets acts as a partition between the ground-level workspace and the living areas up above.

A square window – a larger version of the cat-sized doorway – lights the staircase leading up to the lounge.

Built-in furniture is used to define spaces throughout. A black wooden storage unit in the centre of the space houses the television, as well as separating the bedroom from the living room.

The bathroom, kitchen and laundry room occupy a central white volume, which has an opening to the lounge area. It is wrapped by a further staircase that leads to a garden on the rooftop.

House-Is is not the first time that architects have been requested to design residences with a client's feline friend in mind.